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Ohio Revokes Illegal Licenses

Ohio officials have revoked 12 commercial drivers licenses believed to have been obtained illegally in a cash-for-license scheme. The Ohio State Highway Patrol says others could follow.

Two license examiners in Whitehall, OH, and a truck driver training school official were charged with felonies for allegedly allowing applicants to skip their written and driving tests. The charges were dismissed in municipal court, but prosecutors may seek grand jury indictments.The two license examiners have resigned.An undercover trooper paid $800 to get a commercial drivers license. Without taking a test, the trooper received the paperwork and passing scores he needed to obtain the license, officials say.Investigators, who say the scheme has been going on for more than a year, have been reviewing CDL applications filed within the last year. The investigation could take six to eight weeks. Investigators plan to try to interview or contact the holders of every license that looks suspicious.Several trucking companies have provided names of drivers who might have received illegal licenses. Those who have come forward to cooperate have not been arrested or charged.The state canceled the driving privileges of hundreds with commercial licenses obtained in a similar scheme in the Cleveland area in 1997. Two examiners there were convicted on multiple felony counts.